Apparatus for oscillating drive of shafts and use of the aforesaid apparatus

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for the oscillating drive of shafts, comprising a lever pivotable about a pivot axis. The lever is connected with a drive element moving to-and-fro with a translatory movement between two terminal positions and possesses a rotatably secured sliding body member which is guided in a slide or guide track provided at a rocker arm connected with the shaft to be driven.

United States Patent 1 Portmann 1451 Sept. 11, 1973 [54] APPARATUS FOROSCILLATING DRIVE OF 1,804,577 5/1931 Walter 74/45 SHAFTS AND USE OF THEAFORESAID 6 2 c e ey APPARATUS 3,638,846 2/1972 Wiig 226/l42 [75]Inventor: August Thomas Porlmann, Arbon,

Switzerland [73] Assigneez Bmderer AG, Arbon, CH PrimaryExaminer-Richard A. Schacher Assistant Examiner-Gene A. Church [22] Wed:sept' 1972 Attorney-S. Delvalle Goldsmith, Lester Horwitz 21 Appl. No.2292,355 et [30] Foreign Application Priority Data 1 ABSTRACT Oct. 1,1971 Switzerland l4370/7l 52] us. c1 226 142, 226/152, 226/154, Anapparatus for the Oscillating drive of Shafts,

22 /15 74 45 prising a lever pivotable about a pivot axis. The lever 51[111. (:1 B65h 17/26 is connected with a drive element moving tMud-fro58 Field 61 Search 226/142, 158-462, with a translatory movement betweentwo terminal P 226/152, 154, 156; 74/38,45, 46, 47,43 101 sitions andpossesses a rotatably secured sliding body 6 102 12 1415 member which isguided in a slide or guide track provided at a rocker arm connected withthe shaft to be References Cited driven.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,572,918 2 1926 Geddes 74 45 6 Claims, 6 DrawingFigures a S 41 9 s S 9 c222: )4 28 w ((57 w K S Z: 4

Q -34 7/ 33 i=1 u l \7 LI 4 /////'/////7/ PATENTED 1 sum 3 of 3:ZZZZZJQZ APPARATUS FOR OSCILLATING DRIVE OI" SHAFTS AND USE OF THEAFORESAII) APPARATUS BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The presentinvention relates to a new and improved apparatus for the oscillatingdrive of shafts as well as the use of this apparatus for thecontrarotating oscillating drive of two feed or advance rollers of anapparatus for the stepwise feed or advance of workpieces.

The present invention contemplates the provision of an apparatus bymeans of which shafts can be driven in a simple manner in such a waythat they carry out an oscillating movement extending through an angleof 180.

Another object of this invention relates to an improved apparatus forthe oscillating drive of shafts in a simple and extremely reliablemanner, the construction of which apparatus is relatively simple, notreadily subject to breakdown, and requires a minimum of servicing andmaintenance.

Now in order to implement these and still further objects of theinvention, which will become more readily apparent as the descriptionproceeds, the inventive apparatus is manifested by the features thatthere is provided a lever which is pivotable about a pivot axis. Thelever is connected with a drive element which moves to-and-fro with atranslatory movement between two terminal positions and possesses arotatably secured sliding body which is guided in a guide or slide trackprovided at a rocker arm connected with the shaft to be driven.

The use of the apparatus of the invention is manifested by the featuresthat the shaft of the first feed roll is connected with the rocker andvia a gear transmission with the shaft of the second feed roll.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be betterunderstood and objects other than those set forth above, will becomeapparent when consideration is given to the following detaileddescription thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexeddrawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a first embodiment of feed mechanismdesigned according to the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the feed mechanism depicted in FIG.1, taken substantially along the line II-II thereof;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a second embodiment of feed mechanismdesigned according to the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the feed mechanism of FIG. 3, takensubstantially along the line IV-IV thereof, and

FIGS. 5 and 6 schematically illustrate a mechanism for the oscillatorydrive of a shaft.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Describing now thedrawings, the feed mechanism depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, for instance forsheet metal, will be understood to comprise a lower first feed roll 2mounted in a housing 1 and a second adjustably mounted feed roll 3 whichis arranged neighboring the first feed roll 2. Both of the feed rolls 2and 3 are driven in a manner still to be described so as to oscillateand counterotate. This second feed roll 3 is rotatably mounted at bothof its ends in a rocker or balance 4 which is supported at both sides ofthe feed roll 3 at the housing 1 through the agency of a respectivespring 5 and 6. The rocker 4 is hingedly connected at its end supportedat the spring 5 through the agency of a rod 7 with lever pair 8 carryingat its free end a rotatably secured roller or roll 9. The lever pair 8is pivotably connected intermediate its point of connection with the rod7 and the roller 9 with a piston rod 11 secured to a piston I0. There isadditionally mounted at the piston 10 a bolt 12 which cooperates with anadjustment nut 13 possessing an elevation or height scale and threadedinto the housing. The roller 9 cooperates with a control disk or plate15 mounted at a drive shaft I4. The drive of the drive shaft I4 iscoupled with the drive of the feed rollers 2 and 3 and will be describedmore fully hereinafter. A contact or press-on rail or edge 16 isrotatably mounted at the rocker or balance 4, this contact rail 16 islaterally connected with two arms 17 which are rotatably secured attheir ends 17a at the housing.

The rocker 4 is provided with a recess 40 at its end supported by thespring 6. A bolt 18 is intended to engage at one end with the recess4a,,this bolt engaging at its other end in a suitable recess 190provided at the angle lever 19. The angle lever 19 is rotatably mountedat the housing by means of a shaft 20. Furthermore, the angle lever 19is connected at its other end with a piston rod 21 having a threadedportion 21a by means of which it engages with a flange 19b at anglelever 19. The piston rod 21 is connected with a first piston 22.Slidably arranged upon the piston rod 21 is a second piston 23 whichpossesses a greater diameter than the first piston 22. The transitionfrom the compartment 22a, within which moves the first piston 22, to thecompartment 23a for the second piston 23 is constructed as a stop 23bfor the second piston 23. Both compartments or chambers 22a and 23a areconnected with the infeed lines or conduits 24b of a hydraulic system 24with which also communicates the piston 10. Suitable control elements240 are installed at infeed lines 241).

At this point and on the basis of FIGS. 5 and 6 there will beschematically described the mode of operation of the drive for theoscillating drive of a shaft.

A shaft 26 mounted so as to be lengthwise displaceable in a housing 25which is moved to-and-fro in suitable manner, for instance by means of acrankdrive, drives a lever 28 which is pivotably connected therewiththrough the agency of a pin 27. This lever 28 is guided in a guide 29which is rotatably mounted at a nut 30 provided with an internalthreading. Nut 30 is threaded upon a spindle 31 and is secured againstrotation at the housing 25. Upon rotation of this spindle 31 the nut 30together with the guide 29 displaces, so that the point of rotation orpivot point of the lever 28 can r be adjusted. A bolt 32 is mounted atthe free end of the block 33 sliding between the legs 34a of the lever34 which define a slide track, so that the shaft 35 is driven inoscillating fashion.

As already mentioned, through rotation of the spindle 31, it is possibleto adjust the axis of rotation of the lever 28, so that the magnitude ofthe deflection of the end of the lever 28 carrying the sliding block 33and therefore the amplitude of the oscillatory movement of the shaft 35can be adjusted.

In this regard it is important that the translatory movement of theshaft 26 and the movement of the pin 27 is always the same independentof the aforementioned deflection of the lever 28 and the pin 27 alwaysassumes the same terminal positions at which its direction of movementis reversed.

Due to the arrangement of the sliding block 33 at the lever 28, there isachieved the result that the force exerted by thesliding block 33 uponthe lever 34 always acts perpendicular to the rocker arm-lever 34. Hencethe lever 34 can move through a region of I80".

Referring once again to FIGS. 1 and 2, there will now be described howthe above explained mode of operation can be employed for the drive ofboth feed rolls 2 and 3. The drive shaft 14 carries a gear 36 at itsend, this gear 36 meshing with a drive gear 37 driven by any suitableand therefore not particularly illustrated main drive. A disk 38 isrotatably guided in the gear 36, this gear 36 however being arrangedeccentrically. The disk 38 carries at one side or face an eccentricallyarranged bolt 39 which corresponds to the pin designated by referencecharacter 27 in FIGS. and 6, and at its other side or face a gear 40arranged coaxially with respect to the disk 38. The gear 40 engages witha ring 41 inserted in the housing, the ring 41 being provided withinternal teeth 41a and such gear 40 during rotation of the drive shaft14 rolls upon these internal teeth 41a. The pitch circle diameter of thegear 40 and the ring 41 are in a relationship to one another of 1:2.

Analogous to FIGS. 5 and 6 there is rotatably mounted at the bolt 39 thelever 28 which is guided in the guide 29 which is rotatably mounted atthe nut 30. This nut 30 is threaded upon the spindle 31 which can berotated through the agency of the adjustment mechanism 41. At its lowerend the lever 28 possesses the sliding block 33 secured to the bolt 32,which sliding block 33 cooperates with the lever 34 in the mannerdescribed in conjunction with the discussion of FIGS. 5 and 6. Therocker arm-lever 34 is connected with a shaft 42 which in turn isconnected with a gear 43. The gear 43 is connected through the agency ofa suitable coupling 44 with the feed roll 3 and via a further gear 45with the feed roll 2.

If the drive shaft 14 is driven through the agency of the gears 36 and37, then the gear 40, guided by the disk 38 at the gear 36, rolls uponthe ring 41. Owing to the already discussed pitch circle diameter ratioof the gear 40 and ring 41 of 1:2, the bolt 39 just as the pin 27 ofFIGS. 5 and 6 will be moved to-and-fro between two terminal points orpositions, wherein this movement, just as was the case for the drivedescribed with regard to FIGS. 5 and 6, always remains the sameindependent of the position of the rotation of the lever 28.

The oscillatory rotational movement of the shaft 42 is thereforetransmitted to both feed rolls 2 and 3, which therefore are driven in anoscillating contrarotating manner, wherein during rotation of the driveshaft 14 the feed rollers 2 and 3 carry out a to-and-fro movement.

There will now be considered hereinafter the stepwise feed or advance ofa workpiece, for instance the sheet metal 46, which is arranged betweenboth feed rolls 2 and 3. For improving the understanding of theinvention, the control disk 15 has been subdivided into two sections 15aand 15b, wherein the subdivision occurs by means of diametricallyopposite situated points A and B. Furthermore, there will be assumedthat the drive shaft 14 rotates in counterclockwise direction.

If the roller 9 at point A travels upon the section 15a of the controldisk 15, then the roller 9 will be raised by the control disk section15a, which, in turn, brings about that the rod 7 will be moved downwardand against the force of the spring 5 pushes the rocker or balance 4downwards. By virtue of the force exerted upon the end of the rocker 4supported upon the spring 5 by means of the rod 7 the rocker 4 ispivoted about the connection point of the rod 7 at the rocker 4. Theupper feed roller 3 is pressed against the lower stationarily mountedfeed roller 2 and the contact rail 16 is raised. Both of the feedrollers 2 and 3, which rotate during this period of time in the feeddirection, engage with the sheet metal 46 and displace it forwards.After a rotation of the drive shaft 14 through l, during which thecontrol disk section 15a acts upon the roller 9, the control disksection 15b begins to act at point B upon the roller 9. The springs 5and 6 now bring about a rocking of the rocker or balance 4 about theaxis of the feed roller 3 and raising of the rod 7 which, in turn, bringabout a rotation of the lever pair 8 and a lowering of the roller 9.Lowering of the roller 9 is possible since the spacing of the controlcam of the section 15b from the axis of the drive shaft 14 is smallerthan that of the control cam of the section 15a. The aforementionedrocking of the balance or rocker 4 leads to a lowering of the contactrail 16 which presses the sheet metal against stop 47 and thus fixedlyclamps same. After fixedly clamping the sheet metal 46 the upper feedroller 3 is raised. Both of the feed rolls 2 and 3 no longer act uponthe sheet metal 46 and during the rotation of the drive shaft 14 theycarry out through a further their return movement which is opposite thefeed movement. If at point A after a complete revolution of the driveshaft 14, the control disk section 15a again acts upon the roller 9,then, as above described, owing to pressing together of the rollers 2and 3 and raising of the contact rail 16 the feed cycle is againinitiated.

The control disk 15 must be constructed in such a way that the feedrollers 2 and 3 are respectively pressed against or towards one anotherand away from one another exactly at the point of reversal of theoscillatory movement. and specifically in synchronism with therespective raising and contact movement of the contact or holding rail16- In order to insure for a correct functioning of the feed mechanismwith different thicknesses of the workpieces which are to be advanced orfed, the point of rotation of the lever pair 8 can be elevationallyadjusted by adjusting the adjustment nut 13.

The feed length can be changed by altering the amplitude of theoscillatory movement of the feed rollers, that is to say, as mentionedby displacing the nut 30 along the spindle 31.

For introducing the workpiece which is to be advanced or fed, thebalance or rocker 4 at its end secured to the rod 7 is raised by thelatter by lifting or raising the piston 10. As a result, the feed roll 3is raised. During further lifting of the rocker or balance 4 such comesto bear by means of its end supported at the spring 6 against the bolt18 which engages with play in the recess 4a of the balance 4 and duringoperation does not come into contact with the balance or rocker. Uponcontact of the balance or rocker 4 at the bolt 1% the latter is pusheddownwardly against the angle lever 19. If the compartments 22a and 23aare pressurized, then the pistons 22 and 23 assume the position depictedin FIG. 2. It is therefore not possible to carry out i a rotation of theangle lever 19 under the effect of the pressure of the bolt 19a and theend of the bolt 18 which located at the recess 4a functions as a pointof rotation for the pivotal movement of the rocker or balance 4.Consequently, during lifting of the rod 7 apart from raising the feedroll 3 there is also raised the contact rail 16. l

()n the other hand, if the compartment 22a is without pressure, then,the piston 22 and the piston rod 21 can move and the angle lever 19rotates as soon as the rocker 4 bears upon the bolt 18. Consequently,during lifting of the rocker or balance 4 there will be raised the upperfeed roll 3, but on the other hand the contact rail 16 will not beraised and presses the workpiece 46 against the stop 47.

The embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4 corresponds to that of FIGS. 1 and 2with exception that the control disk is not seated directly at the driveshaft 14 rather upon a hollow shaft 49 guided thereby and driven throughthe agency of a speed reduction drive or transmission 48. It is furtherto be understood that the corresponding components of FIGS. 3 and 4 havebeen designated with the same reference numerals as have been employedin FIGS. 1 and 2.

By means of the speed reduction drive transmission 48 there is achievedthe result that the hollow shaft 49 only revolves half as quickly as thedrive shaft 14.

In this case the control disk 15 is not subdivided as wasthe case forthe embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 into two sections 115a and 15b whicheach extend through the region of 180, rather the section 15a during itsaction upon the roller 9, as described, when there is carried out thefeed of the workpiece, extends only over a region of 90, whereas thesection 15b extends through a region of 270.

During rotation of the hollow shaft 49 through 90, the rollers 2 and 3are pressed against one another and the contact rail 16 is raised andduring the remaining 270 the roller 3 is raised and the contact rail 16is pressed against the stop 47.

The switch-over or reverse control operation occurs in the mannerdescribed in conjunction with FIGS. 1 and 2 at the points A and B of thecontrol disk 15 and at the points of reversal of the oscillatorymovement of ments occurs with raised upper feed roller 3.

While there is shown and described present preferred embodiments of theinvention, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is notlimited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practicedwithin the scope of the following claims. ACCORD- INGLY,

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for the oscillating drive of shafts, comprising a leverpivotable about a pivot axis, a drive element with which said lever isconnected, said drive element being moveable to-and-fro with atranslatory movement between two terminal positions, said leverpossessing a rotatably secured sliding body, a shaft to be driven, arocker arm connected with the shaft to be driven, said rocker arm havinga slide track and said sliding body being guided in said slide track.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, especially for thecontrarotating oscillating drive of two feed rollers of a device for thestepwise feed of workpieces, one of said feed rollers having a shaftconnected with the rocker arm and gear transmission means for connectingsaid shaft with a shaft of the other feed roller.

3, The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further including means forchanging the spacing between the pivot axis of the lever and the axis ofrotation of the sliding body.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the drive element isarranged at one end of the lever and the sliding body at its other end,a guide element displaceable in its lengthwise direction for guidingsaid lever, a nut arranged upon a threaded spindle, said guide elementbeing rotatably mounted :at said nut.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said rocker armpossesses a substantially U-shaped configu ration and having spacedlegs, the sliding body being guided between the legs of the rocker arm.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the drive elementcomprises a bolt mounted at the lever, a first gear for driving saidbolt, a second gear having internal teeth of double the pitch circlediameter than the first gear, said first gear rolling upon the secondgear, said bolt being arranged such that its axis extends substantiallyparallel to the axis of the first gear and possesses a spacing therefromwhich corresponds to the pitch circle radius of the first gear.

1. An apparatus for the oscillating drive of shafts, comprising a leverpivotable about a pivot axis, a drive element with which said lever isconnected, said drive element being moveable toand-fro with atranslatory movement between two terminal positions, said leverpossessing a rotatably secured sliding body, a shaft to be driven, arocker arm connected with the shaft to be driven, said rocker arm havinga slide track and said sliding body being guided in said slide track. 2.The apparatus as defined in claim 1, especially for the contrarotatingoscillating drive of two feed rollers of a device for the stepwise feedof workpieces, one of said feed rollers having a shaft connected withthe rocker arm and gear transmission means for connecting said shaftwith a shaft of the other feed roller.
 3. The apparatus as defined inclaim 1, further including means for changing the spacing between thepivot axis of the lever and the axis of rotation of the sliding body. 4.The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the drive element isarranged at one end of the lever and the sliding body at its other end,a guide element displaceable in its lengthwise direction for guidingsaid lever, a nut arranged upon a threaded spindle, said guide elementbeing rotatably mounted at said nut.
 5. The apparatus as defined inclaim 1, wherein said rocker arm possesses a substantially U-shapedconfiguration and having spaced legs, the sliding body being guidedbetween the legs of the rocker arm.
 6. The apparatus as defined in claim1, wherein the drive element comprises a bolt mounted at the lever, afirst gear for driving said bolt, a second gear having internal teeth ofdouble the pitch circle diameter than the first gear, said first gearrolling upon the second gear, said bolt being arranged such that itsaxis extends substantially parallel to the axis of the first gear andpossesses a spacing therefrom which corresponds to the pitch circleradius of the first gear.